Nearly a dozen state departments have allowed hundreds of employees to hold more than one job, confirming CalPERS officials’ claims that the practice is widespread, according to January state jobs data The Bee obtained.

As new details emerged, the Brown administration took steps to curtail the controversial and little-known practice that allows full-time state employees, including salaried managers, to moonlight for their departments.

All told, 571 nonunion employees held more than one position this month. Many are salaried managers and supervisors who are ineligible for overtime. Others, such as those working in the state’s prison system, are nonunion employees whose primary job pays an hourly wage and overtime under certain conditions.

The practice has drawn criticism from some labor experts who say it may run afoul of federal labor law and, at the very least, invites an end-run around the notion of paying fixed wages for salaried jobs.

In a statement late Tuesday, the California Department of Human Resources said it was reviewing the practice: “The Department of Human Resources (CalHR) is conducting a full review to determine whether there is any justification for continuing this practice in rare cases where it might save money or be necessary under law. Effective immediately, no department can make additional appointments without the direct approval of CalHR.”

All of the departments contacted for this story declined to comment and referred The Bee to CalHR.